Thread

1. dagmx · 1789712627 · focus · HN ↗

   For reference , Fex is a translation framework for x86 to ARM much like Apple’s Rosetta2 and Microsoft’s Prism.

   Valve sponsor development as it’s also the way the new Steam Frame supports x86 games. It’s also being used (as a fork) in Crossover Beta to replace the use of Rosetta2.

   1. MiroslavPokorny · 1789717515 · focus · HN ↗

      Why doesnt Stream require their binaries to be compiled to some bytecode and transpiled during the install ?

      THen they wouldnt require any emulator for any new compiles.

      1. raverbashing · 1789721801 · focus · HN ↗

         They do

         x86 bytecode is bytecode

         1. ErroneousBosh · 1789725164 · focus · HN ↗

            I mean don't modern CPUs basically just run an x86_64 emulator on a RISC machine anyway? Like there's a layer between the microcode and the actual x86 instructions already.

            1. jcranmer · 1789737974 · focus · HN ↗

               No, they don't. x86 is a superscalar processor, and it does what all superscalar processors do--translate the instructions into µops for execution and dispatch to the various execution units, with the µops not being 1-1 with the original instructions. However, it was supposed to be impossible for a CISC architecture to be superscalar, so this is what spawns the myth that it's somehow cheating by executing a RISC architecture under the hood.

               1. ErroneousBosh · 1789762679 · focus · HN ↗

                  Thanks, I didn't know that and now I do.

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